Paintball Crusades
by ebinao
Summary: Some trials have been straining their friendship, but a harmless afterschool activity will help solve that. That is, if they emerge from it alive. Flaky. Flippy. Splendid. Paintball.


Paintball Crusades

By ebinao

Note- Hi! I don't know how you might take it but to me this is a flippyxsplendid with a bit of flakyxflippy. Enjoy!

The hum of students in classrooms can suddenly be heard when the bell tolled in Happy Tree Friends Academy. Flaky quickly packed her belongings and stepped out of the room to avoid the ensuing crowd, but the hallway was starting to get filled with students in a hurry like her.

People didn't seem to notice her as they sometimes bumped into her. Keeping her things close to her chest, she sped up her stride, wanting to get out of the crowd as soon as she could.

"Flaky! Flaky!"

She jerked at the sound of her name. Nervously brushing aside her hair, she turned to its source.

"Wait up!" Flippy called, expertly jostling through bodies. What with his narrow frame, he reached her mostly unruffled.

Flaky forced a clumsy smile. She didn't really know why this guy was hanging out with her. Most of all she was terrified of him. Once when she was going home from the library she saw him hidden in a dark, narrow alley, his foot burying itself in the face of some gaudily dressed teenager. Flaky was momentarily frozen as few other people hurried by on the sidewalk.

He seemed to have finished whatever he was doing because his emerald eye suddenly glared daggers at her. She only stood there for a second before she hurried on, pretending she hadn't seen anything. She had agonized overnight on how to act towards Flippy the next morning, but then was hit with the fact, as Flippy passed her in the hallway at dismissal, that the guy didn't even know her. Probably thought she was some nobody.

She'd met him in club activities, and he'd been friendly with her ever since. She didn't know if he remembered that stint from before or even if he recognized her for her shaggy hair. But Flaky knew that behind his exterior that wasn't the least bit threatening, there was a wild, untame creature that she couldn't help but think of as homicidal.

She stumbled forward when Flippy put a heavy arm around her shoulders, frantically holding her books tighter.

"Where you headed?" He asked.

"Um, home," she replied, averting her eyes.

Flippy paused at her hesitance. "What's the matter? You always head to the clubroom."

"Uh," she muttered and chuckled nervously.

"C'mon. Let's head for the clubroom!"

She'd wanted to go there anyway, so she walked with him. She smiled at him despite herself, since Flippy was one of the few people who seemed to be genuinely friendly and interested in her.

Flippy grinned back and steered her quickly through the crowds, somehow finding a path that took them faster through the hallway. Flaky caught sight of Lumpy the school janitor in her peripheral vision as they passed, seeming beat up again. Maybe he really was as stupid as some people said he was.

After running up a few floors they opened the door to their clubroom. Splendid was in there with the usual red headband around his face, like some masked superhero. And he was, kind of. He was one of the few people who seemed to be most at ease around Flippy, even when he got angry or irritated.

"I got a new one yesterday after you shredded my last one." Splendid grinned and struck a pose. "This is my new favorite."

"I told you not to wear that." Flippy went over and pulled the headband loose.

"What? It looks cool."

Flaky walked over to a seat on the group table and set her things down as she listened to their banter.

Splendid didn't seem to notice her, but she did catch that brief glance he shot at her. She didn't really understand but something seemed to be going on between her and Splendid. For instance, that glance seemed to be holding a challenge.

"Oh hey Flaky," Splendid called and winked at her when he noticed her staring.

She pulled out another clumsy grin and shook her hand out of the sleeve of her sweater to make a little wave.

Their banter had turned into some sort of game, their hands entwined together and trying to overpower each other. Flaky marveled at how close they were. Once, she went back to the clubroom way after class hours on a half day to retrieve something. Through the glass she had rubbed her eyes and looked hard and ascertained without a doubt that Splendid and Flippy were kissing.

The desks were all scattered and disorderly, with some cradling Flippy and his feet, Splendid's hands on his arms. Needless to say, she had gone back the way she came and the following rainy day she was without an umbrella.

After learning their secret she had observed them, as some people stood by entertained by Flippy's temper and Splendid's confidence as he happily taunted him and came away unscathed.

Many people flocked around Splendid when things got rough with Flippy for one reason or another, but Flaky had resolved to always be cautious to never be in trouble. For some reason she didn't want to trust Splendid if she ever needed his help, so she wanted to make sure she never would.

"Today's activity... Is paintball!" Splendid suddenly held up a very realistic submachine gun loaded with paintballs.

"C'mon Flaky, let's go outside." Flippy thrust a huge garbage bag over her head. She stuck her hands out through the openings and cut off the excess length. Flippy's and Splendid's only reached halfway past their knees.

"Is this really allowed?" Flaky asked timidly as Flippy handed her a submachine gun. "We'll make a huge mess."

"We aren't called the 'Outdoor Recreation Club' for nothing," Splendid remarked as he put on a belt that held more paintball ammunition. "Relax. I took care of it."

There were a couple more guns stacked on the floor. Flippy and Splendid were always completely unapologetic and probably oblivious of that one incident when they had practically scared the other club members in a fight they had when they thrust pellet guns, skateboards, and other paraphernalia at each other, completely ignoring those in the room.

They had walked to a corner of the field, the grass lush around them. Flaky was starting to think this was rather not a bad idea, but the worst idea for an outdoor game to play with Flippy. He'd been starting to get hyper, bumping into her and Splendid, and jokingly threatening them with the guns he'd swung around his body. Splendid, on the other hand, was nonchalantly pulling him by the collar.

"Rules before we go in to the mini-forest," Splendid eyed them both seriously. "We are three separate teams. This is like a game of hide-and-seek."

"But deadly," Flippy interjected.

"But deadly. Whoever gets paint on their protective armor loses," he said, pointing to his own garbage bag. "Whoever is left standing wins."

They put their hands together and made an odd-one-out. Splendid grinned and held up his hand as the it.

"Why don't you go first, Flaky," Splendid urged her on, him and Flippy turning their backs to the forest.

Flaky jumped at this opportunity and made her way from the grass to the woods, holding up the garbage bag from her feet as she went.

She browsed through the trees and decided on one that she thought to be taller than most, slung back her gun and nimbly climbed to the highest stable branch, avoiding the ants and other critters.

She was fumbling at a piece of bark her hair was stuck in when she saw Flippy. Before she could hide herself he was already running towards her.

Flippy signaled to her, putting his finger in front of his lips. He carefully scaled the tree and landed beside her. Flaky clutched her gun tightly.

"What do you say to an alliance?"

Flippy smiled at her, his dog tags glinting.

"We," Flippy wiggled his finger back and forth for emphasis, "Never shoot each other. Let's gang up on Splendid." He snickered.

"But... That's -"

"Against the rules, yeah," Flippy interjected hurriedly. "But this is just between you and me. I want to have Splendid all to myself," he said mischievously.

Despite herself Flaky blushed as a series of images flashed through her mind.

She nodded, wide-eyed, and Flippy happily thanked her – cupping her face with his hands and giving her a firm peck on the mouth.

For a moment Flaky was stunned. "Why'd you do that?"

Flippy smiled happily. "Because I like you!"

He took out one of his fingerless gloves and gave them to her. "Here, put this on."

They were rough and weathered and Flaky thought it looked kind of cool on her. Still, she felt bemused and even a bit offended at Flippy's sudden gesture.

A couple crows flew from out of the trees at the resounding call. "I'm coming to get you guys!"

Both of them sat alert.

"I want to take him down," Flippy said. "See you later, okay?"

The forest was eerily silent for a while. Flaky relaxed, knowing that she'd be safe on the narrow branch she was sitting on from any rowdiness those two would cause.

Then to her surprise a series of paintballs hit her hard. In a panicked struggle to keep on the branch she frantically waved her arms, and when more paintballs came at her she came out of balance and fell. She gave out a horrified gasp as she fell down the considerable distance between the branch and the forest floor.

Then she toppled into someone's arms and body, both of them landing in a heap on the ground.

Both of them lay stunned until the body shifted under her, muttering irritably. "Well what was I thinking? I should have foreseen the force of gravity and your kilograms combined."

She rubbed her back. Shifting her eyes from the huge bruise on her right arm, she looked at Splendid's annoyed eyes that actually held a single tear on a corner.

She quickly stood up, hiding her swollen palms since she tried to hold onto a branch as she fell. Flippy's glove had protected one of her palms, though.

"Guess this means I'm disqualified," Flaky explained the obvious, toeing the ground.

"I told you to keep your distance."

Flaky decided to thoroughly examine his running shoes.

"I swear, I did."

Splendid's fingers urged her chin up. "How do you explain that kiss?"

Now Flaky was just about ready to cave in. She doubted if he'd understand that _he_ kissed _her_ and not the other way around. And besides, it was way too quick, and there was no hint of seriousness from Flippy. As far as Flaky knew, Flippy just liked her a lot, like he said. She knew many people expressed their affection that way.

"I'm innocent! I never even asked for it –"

Splatters were heard against Splendid's body as a multitude of paintballs hit him from Flippy's two paintball guns.

"What's going on here?"

Splendid cast a stern eye over at him. "I'm just telling your new girlfriend here that cheating is bad."

"What do you mean?" Flippy seemed to gather what might have happened. "I thought you were supposed to give us five minutes of hiding time!"

"Well so what? I was right! You did do something with her! How do you think that makes me feel?"

"If that's the case you should have took it out on _me_, not her!"

They had started bickering. Flaky inched away from the two of them, clutching her aching arm.

"You say she's your sister but you care for her too much!"

Flippy caught him by his shirt. "You could have told me all this when we were alone!"

"I did! You wouldn't listen!"

Flippy's grip tightened and for a moment he seemed to be uncontrollably shaking. Then he closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

"Sorry you had to see all this, Flaky," he said, going towards her instead. "You're hurt."

"Well if you'll notice, I'm hurt too!"

Splendid seethed at him, searching in his brain for some inflammatory comment.

Flippy froze in his steps when he saw the huge bruise. His voice was deathly quiet, stressing every word.

"Splendid, I did not know that you would go this far."

"It's her fault for being so helpless."

Flippy cried out and madly lunged at him, tackling him to the ground and began repeatedly pummeling him.

"Doesn't – matter!" He said in between blows, his eyes wide and mad. "Still – wrong and stupid!"

Splendid took a few blows before he studiously sneaked his hands on Flippy's arms and with his foot, turned them both over. Standing up, he called out to her.

"Get out of here, Flaky!"

Flippy once again tackled him, slamming him against a tree and punching him repeatedly, seeming to have lost all other sense but the one that wanted to beat Splendid to a bloody pulp. Splendid on the other hand, seemed to have lost his cool and was trying to strangle him with his bare hands.

Now Flaky was shaking in the knees, but she did not want to leave them there to be found the next morning to have killed each other and decaying in paintball and blood. She also did not want to just stand there, either.

She picked up Splendid's discarded submachine gun and shot at him, then pointed it at Flippy, who was violently beating up his boyfriend. Breathing through her teeth, she got as close as she possibly could and shot. She switched to her own then shot repeatedly at both of them, spending the final shots on Splendid's head.

Flippy paused, seeming to regain his senses. Then in a daze he fell right on Splendid.

Splendid cradled him with one arm, and sighing, laid him down on the ground. Wiping his face with his hand, he approached her.

"You alright?" He panted and examined the bruise. "We'll have to get that to the infirmary."

Tearing his eyes off her gloved hand, he carefully brushed some dirt off a small open wound on her unprotected palm. Flaky eyed the bruises on his face from Flippy's blows.

"Some game, huh?"

"Some game," Flaky muttered.

"Thanks for the save, Flaky."

It was already dark when they returned to the clubroom to dump the paint guns and retrieve their belongings.

Flippy shook his head in his hand, trying to massage it.

"You're really so freakin' wild," Splendid said and caught him by the collar, pulling him closer for a firm kiss. "I like that." He pushed him away then jumped out the classroom window to the fire escape.

Flippy ran his hand through his hair, and then noticed Flaky wasn't there anymore. He looked out the corridor and saw her retreating back. Bemused, he ran after her.

"Flaky, what's the matter?" Flippy said when he caught up with her, looking at her with concern. "Are you avoiding me?"

Flaky was going to brush it off but Flippy looked sincerely worried. When she let herself pause she felt her body suddenly convulsing as she held the tears in.

"You should really try to stay away," Flaky suggested.

"What? Why would I do that?" He held her shoulders gently, crouching to eye level. Flaky felt an ounce of familiarity. Flippy always did have a way of comforting her or getting her to tell him her problems.

"Some people – might get the wrong idea," Flaky stammered a bit as her lips shook. She noticed that Flippy's ungloved hand was more markedly swollen than his other protected hand. Her eyesight flooded.

"Why? This morning, too, you seemed to be avoiding me." Flippy looked at her, disturbed. Then he said slowly, "Is this about Splendid?"

She wiped her eyes and suddenly a sob came out. She was crying like such a kid. _I'm in high school, for heaven's sakes,_ she thought, frustrated with herself.

"Oh, Flaky," Flippy crooned, and took her in his arms. "You know I love you, Flaky. Don't ever let anyone get in the way of that."

Flippy stroked her head gently, and she didn't care even as bits of paint got caught in her tangled hair.

"I'll talk to that bastard. You don't have to get scared of him either." They were rocking gently in their embrace. Flippy pulled away and suddenly had to laugh a little. "I got paint on your face." He tried to wipe it off with his hand. "C'mon, let's get you to a faucet."

And Flippy held her close, their bags swaying obtrusively against them as they made their way. Flaky smiled, not at all uncomfortable in Flippy's arms. She loved him, too.

* * *

Lumpy lazily dragged the mop around the corridor. He was planning to slack off in one of the classrooms when he heard muffled voices from a classroom door.

"... Swear, if you do that to her again, I'm really gonna kill you."

"Relax, it's not like I accidentally killed her, or something."

The lockers inside rattled violently.

Lumpy peered in to see a thin, bandaged boy with his back against the lockers, his shirt all ruffled and some buttons unfastened. His shirt was being angrily clutched by another likewise bandaged boy, rendering his lower torso visible.

_Aw geez, they're at it again..._

There was the noise of tables and chairs clattering against each other.

"For all the people calling you a superhero, when we're all alone you're really just like me. Probably even worse."

Splendid looked at him impassively as his hand trailed inside Flippy's shirt.

"You _promise_ that you'll never do that again!"

"Okay, okay – I promise!"

There was a brief pause and Lumpy heard the sound of their lips meeting roughly.

Flippy pulled away and tightened his grip on Splendid's collar, his eyes glittering.

"Promise!"

There was a pause as Splendid stared at his lover's face, then placed his hand on his cheek.

"Promise."

Splendid leaned in for another deep kiss. His shirt was starting to get ruffled too, as did his pants.

Lumpy turned his head away, bored and about to leave. He'd been beat up by Splendid again when he'd caught him enjoying the show last time, and he sure as hell didn't want to risk it with Flippy. But then he decided against it with his toothy grin and watched anyway.


End file.
